How to File your Income Tax Return Without Your W2
Why wait when you can file your income tax return without your W2 form? Follow these steps to get your money ASAP! If you are expecting a refund from the IRS read on to discover how you can file your income tax return without your W2.
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Instructions
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The first thing you will need to do in order to file your income tax return without your W2 is gather your final paycheck stubs for the previous year. Your last paycheck will contain the vast majority of the information that is reflected on your form W-2.
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The next thing that you will have to do is obtain your company's federal tax ID number or employer information number (EIN). If you have worked for this same company for several years you should be able to get the tax ID number from last year's W2. If this is a new job for you then you will have to go through a couple of extra steps.
The easiest way to get this number is to ask your employer for it. If your employer won't play along, and some absolutely will NOT, then you will have to look it up.
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For some reason some companies are not willing to release their federal tax ID number. I really do not know why because they have to provide it on the W2. So, it's not as if this number is some huge secret! Sorry, I had to vent there, anyway -- the first thing you will have to do is to point your browser to feinnsearch.com. *All clickable links are listed in the "RESOURCES" section below.
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Just as the URL suggests, feinsearch.com will allow you to complete a federal employer tax ID search. There is a catch though, you will have to register, and then only your first five searches are free. This should be no problem unless you have had more than five jobs in the last year. In that case, you will need to use a different EIN look up service -- I have listed a couple of choices in the "RESOURCES" section - they both work relatively the same way.
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Once you have registered and followed their instructions to get your Federal Tax ID number, you will be all set to begin to file your income tax return without your W2. Head over to H&R Block.com and proces your tax return ("RESOURCES"). If you are eligible to file for free BE SURE TO DO JUST THAT!
Good Luck!
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Tips & Warnings
It is January 11th, 2009 and my income tax return has been completed for almost a week now.... and sitting in queue to be e-filed when the IRS begins accepting them on January 19th (this date is apt to change each year, so be cautious). .
DO NOT GIVE YOUR MONEY AWAY TO ANY TAX PREP SERVICE if you are eligible to fill out a simple tax return!
Do it yourself -- Don't be afraid, it is relatively simple, all that you are doing is answering questions that NO ONE knows the answers to better than YOU anyway.
If you have a more complicated tax situation you will be much better off going to a tax professional, but remember, it is totally up to them whether or not they will use your final paycheck in lieu of a W2.
I am NOT a tax professional, if you have any doubts about anything contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.
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Comments
View all 46 Comments-
None of the three employers I needed have one listed on here? Any ideas?
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If you can't get your W-2 from your employer, this looks like a good way to solve the problem. If you aren't sure, ask your tax advisor...
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sonni57
Mar 23, 2009
Good info on how to do taxes without the W-2 I have lost mine before.
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Rachelle Lynn Williams
Jan 30, 2009
Excellent point OBigDaddyO. But, when you are their employee, you are not "just anybody," so they should have no reason to begrudge you the information - especially since you will most certainly get the EIN/Fed tax id number eventually.
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DiscountTickets
Jan 29, 2009
Great article, never thought of doing that before, great idea.
